Television mast freeze grommet



July 28, 1959 SAMPQ I -2,896,986

TELEVISION MAST FREEZE GROMMET Filed June 15, 1955 Bar/o Sampo IN VENTOR.

United States Patent Ofiice Patented July 28, 1959 2,896,986 TELEVISIONMAST FREEZE GROMMET Barto Sampo, Cherry, I ll. Application June 13,1955, Serial No. 514,950 2 Claims. (Cl. 288-19) This invention relatesto a device for use in conjunction with a television mast so as toprevent moisture and other foreign matter from entering the spacebetween the television aerial mast and the top bushing of the televisiontower which might otherwise freeze so as to not only prevent therotation of the mast within the tower bushing but which may causeserious deterioration of the antenna arrangement.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision ofan easily installed means for sealing the connection between atelevision antenna mast and a top bushing of a television aerial tower.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an easilyinstalled grommet which will seal the connection between two differentmembers in a novel manner.

The construction of this invention features the utilization of a grommetwhich may be formed in sections and which includes cylindrical portionshaving larger inner diameters than conical portions. The grommet ispreferably formed of a suitable resilient material and may be easilydetachably installed in position, as may be desired.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in theprovision of a television mast freeze grommet that is simple inconstruction, highly efiicient in use, which can be easily manufacturedat relatively low cost, and which is capable of being manufactured invarious sizes.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of theinvention which will become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by these television mast freeze grommets,preferred embodiments of which have been illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a unitary form of television mastfreeze grommet;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional detail view taken along the planecontaining the axis of the grommet;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a modified form oftelevision mast freeze grommet having a pair of sections;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the construction ofthe modified form of television mast freeze grommet; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view as taken along the planeof line 55 in Figure 4.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein likereference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,and with initial attention directed to the embodiment of the inventionas is shown in Figures 1 and 2, reference numeral 10 is used togenerally designate the television mast freeze grommet which is adaptedto be positioned about the television aerial mast 12 and the bushing 14of the television tower. The grommet 10 includes a substantially hollowcylindrical portion 16 which has integrally formed therewith a truncatedconical portion 18 having a bore 20 there- 2 through receiving the mast12. The cylindrical portion 16 is hollow and the inner side walls 22thereof engage the bushing 14. In this manner, a highly effective sealis achieved. It is noted that the diameter of the bore 20 isconsiderably less than the diameter of the recess receiving the bushing14.

The grommet 10 may be formed of anysuitable mate rial, such as rubber,neoprene or the like, and seals the joint against penetration bymoisture or other foreign matter. This enables the mast 12 to be readilyrotated relative to the bushing 14.

In Figures 3, 4 and 5, there is shown a modified form of the inventionin which the grommet 30 is formed of a pair of grommet sections 32 and34. The grommet sections 32 and 34 each have substantiallysemicylindrical portions 36 and 38 which are hollow for reception of thebushing 40. Likewise, the semitnuncated conical sections 42 and 44 havea bore 46 therethrough of lesser diameter than that of the openingreceiving the bushing 40 for reception of the mast 48.

The sections 32 and 34 are each formed with end walls 50, 52 and 54, 56,respectively. The end walls 50 and 52 have suitable tongues 58 and 60integrally formed therewith which are adapted to seat within recesses 62and 64 in the end walls 56 and 54. Rows of projections 66 and 68 areintegrally formed with the tongues 58 and 60 and adapted to seat withinrecesses arranged in rows, as at 70 and 72. The projections, as can bebest seen in Figure 5, each includes a stem portion 76 having asemispherical head portion 78 thereon. This forms a highly effectiveinterlock since the projections are formed of the same resilientmaterial as the main portions of the grommet.

In use, with the antenna already installed, it is a simple matter toinstall the television mast freeze grommet 30 by merely positioning thesections Olf the grommet in place and then squeezing them together. Thisforms a highly eifective seal against the penetration by moisture orforeign matter.

If water or other foreign matter enters the space between a televisionaerial mast and the top bushing of a tower and the water freezes andimmobilizes the antenna or the antenna is immobilized in some otherfashion, either the rotor motor which turns the antenna or the rotormotor control becomes shorted and burns out when an attempt is made toturn the antenna. In all areas removed from television stations, it isnecessary to turn the antenna in the direction of the signal in order toreceive a picture. Such an installation causing the antenna to turn whendesired is costly and if it is: caused to burn out due to somethingbetween the mast and bushing, an installation with a similar cost isnecessary. Thus, the present invention provides protection to theintallation and maintains it continuously available.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A television mast grommet comprising a pair of grommet sections madeof resilient material, each of said sections having a hollowsemi-cylindrical portion and an integrally connected truncatedsemi-conical portion, said semi-cylindrical portions having a bore, saidtruncated semi-conical portions having a bore coaxial with the bore ofsaid semi-cylindrical portion and of a smaller diameter, said coaxialaxes constituting a longitudinal central axis of the grommet sections,said sections having pairs of abutting longitudinal walls with partsthereof parallel to said central axis, the walls of one of said sectionshaving longitudinally extending tongues thereon with parts of saidtongues parallel to said central axis, the walls of theother of saidsections having longitudinally extending grooves therein with parts ofsaid grooves parallel to said central axis, projections on said tongues,said projections having stems and enlarged heads at the outer ends ofsaid stems, said walls with said grooves having recesses whichcommunicate with said grooves, said stems and heads of said projectionsinterlocking in said recesses and said tongues seated in said grooves tohold said sections fastened together.

a 4 2.-The television mast grommet of claim 1 wherein there are parts ofsaid tongues and grooves on: said abutting longitudinal walls which areinclined inwardly towards said central axis, the inclined parts of saidtongues and grooves being on said truncated semi-conical portions ofsaid sections.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 281,760vGingras July 24, 1883 834,618 Herrick Oct. 30, 1906 1,823,233 Bell Sept.15, 1931

